According to the National Survey of Residential Care Facilities, there are more than 31,000 senior living communities nationwide. With over a million residents, there’s some hefty competition. With a myriad of options to choose from, it’s difficult to make your facility stand out.
Today’s aging population is not the same as it always was. They’re more active and involved. Their choices are often based on the offered amenities, modalities and communities. Residents want a lifestyle that will keep them healthy for years on end; because of this, your facility needs to be marketable.
So, what can you do to increase occupancy? What can you do to attract new residents?
Keep your website updated
It’s no surprise that the first thing people look up is your website. Your website needs to be easy to navigate, even for someone who isn’t the most tech-savvy. Your community’s first impression likely will be online, so invest in making it mobile-friendly, visually appealing and accessible. Does your website load quickly? Is it easy to find? Do you have high-quality images of the property? If not, this should be the first step you take.
Track the ROI of marketing initiatives
Explore what your competition is doing and how you can improve it. Each demographic responds to marketing initiatives differently. While some may conclude that printed ads are the best investment, others may find digital ads or events bring in the most people. You want to invest in the tactics with the highest returns, so tracking is essential.
With this, may sure you’re aware of your target market. Many establishments are catered more towards seniors and others are catered towards their family members. These are generational differences that will affect the messaging of your marketing collateral.
Let your residents represent your community
Nobody can serve a better testimonial than the residents themselves. You can push out advertisements spouting all the wonderful amenities you offer, but it won’t be nearly as effective coming from you than an actual resident and/or their family. Whether you start a resident referral program, encourage reviews, or incorporate residents into advertisements – you will effectively turn heads towards your community.
You should also consider showcasing your staff members. Friendliness is a trait that residents and their loved ones highly value in staff. Whether it’s a nurse, med-tech, or director – these workers are brand ambassadors for your organization. People want to know who the staff members are going to be working with their loved ones, so updating information on your website and providing a behind-the-scenes look on these individuals can make all the difference.
Remember that your current residents are just as important as the one who moves in. If you’re simply focused on generating leads, everything will prove to be a waste. You should always start by fostering a positive environment with current resistance. When you’re current community is thriving, the dominos will fall in a direction that will lead to a progression of increased occupancy and positive publicity.